“Serious trouble” for America’s most hated retailer Abercrombie and Fitch

Thursday 25 February 2016 - Talya Misiri

For the first time in its history, Abercrombie & Fitch has been ranked as America’s most hated retailer according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).

The survey questioned 9,358 customers about their recent shopping experiences at America’s biggest retailers. A&F scored lowest across all six categories including department and discount stores, speciality retail stores and supermarkets.

The American retailer, which has over 300 sites in the US, attained a low number of 65, almost 10 points below the entire sector’s overall score, CNN Money reported.

While the company has attempted to re-brand itself since the exit of its former CEO Mike Jefferies in 2014, its recent ranking is likely to hit A&F’s stores across the UK.

Just above Abercrombie, holding the second lowest rating is Walmart which scored 66 overall. This should come as no surprise to the retail chain as it has ranked as the lowest among discount and department stores since 2006.

“Normally when we see that kind of a gap, it's a company so large it has monopoly power like, Walmart or McDonalds,” Forrest Morgeson, ACSI's Director of Research, told CNN Money.

“Walmart is doing fine business-wise, but at the same time, people really don't like them.”

“Abercrombie and Fitch is not that, they aren't that large … this can spell serious trouble for the company.”

Overall, the Index found that customer satisfaction in the retail sector is down for the second year in a row.

Retailers that were rated the highest among consumers include Nordstrom, Amazon, Wegmans and Costco.

“Your highest-end supplier in a particular industry tends to be the most satisfying. It really is quality customers are looking for over price.” Morgeson added.